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Russians and Ukrainian released in Libya arrive in Moscow

Those who arrived from Libya don’t have any documents, including passports

© Gabriel Grigorov/TASS

MOSCOW, January 3. /TASS/. Three Russians and one Ukrainian, who were earlier released in Libya, have arrived in Moscow’s Sheremetyevo airport, a member of the Russian Civic Chamber, Alexander Malkevich, told reporters on Sunday.

"The plane has landed, it is now on the runway. I’m on the airfield, I’m meeting them," Malkevich said.

According to him, those who arrived from Libya don’t have any documents, including passports.

Earlier, Malkevich said a group of Russians and one Ukrainian citizen, who had been kidnapped in Libya several weeks ago, were released.

An effort carried out by Russia’s authorities, contribution of socially responsible businesses and readiness for dialogue of certain representatives of Libya’s Government of National Accord helped return the sailors captured in the African republic back home, Malkevich told reporters.

The sailors were released after the return of Russian citizens Maxim Shugaley and Samer Seifan from Libya, which showed that "there is no point in messing around with Russia," Malkevich said. "It’s noteworthy that certain representatives of Libya’s Government of National Accord, including the foreign minister, promptly established contact and everything was successful. We express great gratitude to Russian Special Presidential Envoy for the Middle East and Africa Mikhail Bogdanov. He carried out a titanic work in order to once again save Russian citizens," he noted.

The member of the Russian Civic Chamber noted that the sailors’ return became possible due to the steps of Russian authorities via the Foreign Ministry and business representatives, who were able to arrange a special flight in order to bring Russians and a Ukrainian to Moscow.

In December, Russian citizens Maxim Shugaley and Samer Seifa, who had been detained a year and a half ago in Libya and were accused of meddling in the republic’s domestic affairs, returned home.

Russia’s top diplomat Sergey Lavrov said after talks in Moscow with Foreign Minister of the Government of National Accord Mohamed Taher Siala that in case of similar incidents with Russians in the African republic in the future Moscow would get access to its citizens and all the necessary data about them.

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